Thursday, May 11, 2006

Once a landmark in Athens, Georgia, the T.R.R. Cobb House had fallen into disrepair over the years. It's now undergoing restoration, and has been painted a color befitting the mansion of a Confederate general: bubble-gum pink.

The reaction ranged from angry to amused. Some who had fought against the house liked it. "Just horrible," said others. Dixie diehards refused to believe it. A guy in a pickup drove up and threatened to paint over it. According to local heritage experts, one of Cobb's direct descendants, Marion Cannon, sniffed: "T.R.R. Cobb would never paint his house that color." [Link]

An 1859 painting confirms that Cobb did indeed paint his house that color.

It could have been worse. The man overseeing the project had said "he'd gladly paint it 'pink with purple polka dots' if that's what paint analysis revealed, even if it enraged his critics."